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lorse Tamer and Trainer 





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A COMPLETE SYSTEM FOR 



Breaking and Handling Vicious Horses 



ALSO 



The Art of Educating TrickHorses. 



f-BY 

J. c/ JACOBS, 



i ALBANY, 



WW * 



^EXAS. 



The Horse Tamer and Trainer. 




~X3VC£ e/r&: 



A COMPLETE SYSTEM FOR 



Breaking and Handling Vicious Horses 



ALSO 



The Art of Educating Trick Horses 



-BY- 




/ 

J. C. JACOBS 

ALBANY, - - -. - - TEXAS 



J 




NOTIC9. 



Anyone wishing a copy of this book can get it 
by sending One Dollar to above address. 

All orders post-paid by me and promptly at- 
tended to on receipt of price. 

J. c. j. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by 

J. C. JACOBS, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



PREFACE 



The great success that I have had in handling all 
classes of vicious horses, as well as in breaking and edu- 
cating young horses, has induced me to present to the 
public a practical, and humane system, by which anyone 
can handle the most unruly horse without any danger to 
himself or animal. 

I make no pretentions to scholarship, preferring to be 
useful rather than to appear learned. 

The common way of breaking and training horses is 
attended with a great deal of danger and hard work both 
to the trainer and horse, requiring a strong and plucky 
man to handle a determined horse. 

This system puts the horse at such disadvantage that 
any one can handle such an animal with safety. . 

I have left nothing undone in order to make this work 
a source of practical knowledge to any one interested in 
horses. 

It is the outgrowth of years of experience and practice 
and it is the wish of the Author that it may prove a great 
help to those that have the care and handling of horses. 

J. C Jacobs. 



KICKERS IN SINGLE HARNESS. 

To break up any bad habit in unruly horses, the 
first thing to do is to get good control of his mouth. 
That is the first step in learning trie horse, and to do 
this, I will here explain the kind of bit I have adopt- 
ed after experimenting with many different kinds. 

It is called the Four Ringed Bit. If you cannot 
get one at your saddlers (and it is likely you cannot) 
take a common snaffle bit, go to your blacksmith and 
have him to cut one of the rings out, or heat and 
bend it an oblong shape so that he can slip two smaller 
rings over it on the bit. Then weld the former ring 
back in shape. The extra rings should be about One 
inch and a half in diameter. Take a good strong 
headstall with an extra buckle fastened on top of it 
between and back of the ears and put the bit on the 
headstall as you would any other bit, paying no at- 
tention to the extra rings. 

Now put the bridle on your horse, with one of the 
extra rings on each side of his mouth, or out against 
each of the stationery rings on either side. Now take 
a strap about the size and make of a hame strap, 
only some longer, and fasten it on one of the extra 
rings just as you would on your hames for use. Then 
pass it over his nose and through the extra ring on 
opposite side and bring back over nose and buckle. 
Now take another strap, about twenty-four inches 
long, with a loop in one end, large enough for the 



6 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

strap to go through that passes over the nose and 
with tongue holes in the other end so it can be taken 
up to fit any length of head. 

Now the strap that goes over the nose is to pass 
through the loop and the other end of the loop strap 
is fastened in the buckle on top of the headstall. 
This holds the strap that goes across the nose into the 
extra rings in position. When adjusted the strap 
should rest about two inches above the nostrils, and 
should be buckled up so that when the bit is straight- 
ened in the horses mouth they should fit close but 
comfortably on aline across the roof of his mouth. 

READY FOR BUSINESS. 

Now put your lines on just as you would on any 
other bridle, and when they are pulled on, the centre 
of the bit is thrown against the roof of the mouth with 
great force. 

You are now in position to bring your whole pow- 
er to bear on the most sensitive part of the horse 
(excepting the eye) and you will be surprised how 
quick you can bring an unruly horse under control 
with this bit. 

Now put on your horse a pair of single harness; and 
put the off-line through the shaft lug, and take firm 
hold of the near line about four feet from the bit,then 
work the off line down over his hips, and let it rest 
where the breeching works, you can now drive him 
in a circle around you. 

Every time he shows signs of kicking give a strong 
pull on the lines, which will hurt his mouth so that he 
will soon submit to the line being drawn around him 
as tight as you can draw it, without showing any signs 
of kicking. 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 7 

Always stop and caress a horse as he shows signs 
of submission. 

Now change to the other side and handle just as 
before; drive him around you in a trot, stopping and 
starting often. 

In order to get good control of his mouth, so you 
can hold him under any kind of excitment, get behind 
him with the reins in your hands and start him. When 
he has gone a few steps say "whoa" and immediately 
give him a hard raking pull. Don't jerk but pull. 
Repeat this until he will stop at the word of command 
promptly. Make your lessons positive and thorough 
never do any halfway business when you take a bad 
horse in hand. 

Have a whip and when you stop him flourish it 
over him, moderate at first, and when he attempts to 
start set him back with all your might, repeat until 
he will stand perfectly quiet while you flourish and 
pop the whip all over and around him, being careful 
not to strike him. Make any other noise that will 
excite him to go and repeat the treatment until he 
will stand the treatment under any kind of excitement* 
Of course you must not cluck to him or tell him to 
go unless you want him to start, then tap him lightly 
with the whip which will learn him to start promptly 
when you want him to. You can soon have your 
horse so you can drop your lines and walk fifteen or 
twenty feet behiid and stop and start him simply by 
word of command. 

POLING. 

Now take a hoe handle or a smooth pole of any 
kind and get on the left side of your horse. Take a 



8 THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINEE. 

firm hold of the left line about four feet from the bit 
with the other line around his quarters as before ex- 
plained. Place the end of the pole under the right 
arm and hold in the right hand with the off rein. 
Bring the pole against his quarters lightly at first and 
if he shows any sign of kicking give him a hard pull 
with the line on the left hand. Repeat the treatment 
bringing the pole against him with a little more force 
each time, working industriously until he will stand 
perfectly indifferent to it. 

Then bring the pole lightly against his heels giving 
a hard yank on the left line ; at any time that he 
shows any signs of kicking. 

Now take your position on the opposite side and 
repeat the treatment never forgetting to caress at 
each sign of submission. You will soon have him 
afraid to kick and at the same time accustom him to 
having anything strike his heels and quarters which 
is generally the sole cause of them kicking in the first 
place. 

Drive him around you in a walk at first, then in a 
trot bringing the pole against him often. 

Remember that your horse must be tested in every 
position. He may stand perfectly quiet after being 
hitched up, but as soon as you start him off com- 
mence kicking, or he may be perfectly indifferent to 
the line drawn around his quarters or heels, and then 
kick when you bring the pole against him in the same 
place. 

Find out the cause of resistance, and work at that 
point until you overcome it. A horse may be lariat- 
ted, and while gazing around allow the rope to come 



THE HORSE TAMEB AND TRAINER. 9 

against his quarters and heels without apparently 
paying any attention to it; but you go to him and 
draw the rope around him in the same way and he 
may kick desperately. A horse may drive perfectly 
gentle with the breeching on, but if the straps were 
to break and the crosspiece. strike him precisely in 
the same place where the breeching works, it would 
likely excite him and cause him to kick badly. But 
if the above directions are followed he can be made 
indifferent to the crosspiece striking him. 

You are now ready to hitch your horse up, and I 
will here explain the safest and best way I know to 
work a kicker. 

The rig will not cost more than ten cents and twen- 
ty minutes work. Get two stout poles, twelve feet 
long, two by four scantling will do. Six feet from 
the small ends, bolt on a stout crosspiece three feet 
long, sharpen the large ends of the poles so that if 
the horse tries to run back they will stick in the 
ground and stop him. Fasten a pair of chain traces 
to crosspiece on each side ; now put on collar and 
harness. 

It is better to have two large rings that the poles 
will pass through fastened to the ends of a stout back- 
band, with a short rope tied in the off ring to bring 
under the horse and fasten in the near ring as a belly- 
band. 

Tie a small rope across under the horses' neck to 
each of the small ends of the poles to prevent them 
widening and flying up when you throw him back 
against the crosspiece. 

Now take firm hold of your near line about five 



10 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINEE. 

feet from the bit, bringing your off line around his 
quarters as in the first lesson. Start him and hold 
him in a circle around you, letting him go slow at 
fust, stopping and starting often, and occasionally 
draw him back against the crosspiece, and if he shows 
any sign of kicking give him a hard raking pull on 
the lines. When he drives well from that side change 
to the other and repeat the lesson. When he goes 
well from both sides get directly behind him and 
drive around, stopping and starting often and each 
time caress and talk encouragingly to him. It will 
help wonderfully. Remember that kind treatment is 
the key to success. 

If you have done your work thorough and your 
horse performs well in the poles, you are now ready 
to hitch him to a buggy or cart. If he is afraid of it 
let him look at it and smell of it until he satisfies him- 
self there is no harm in it. Don't try to torce any- 
thing on your horse that he is afraid of. Bring it to 
his notice gradually and let him find out the harmless 
nature of it by his way of reasoning, that is seeing, 
smelling and feeling, for he uses his nose for feeling 
as we do our fingers. Be very gentle in hitching him 
up, then take hold of your lines as in training and 
drive him around you. Repeat from the opposite 
side and if he performs well you can now get in and 
drive off. 

ANOTHER WAY. 

I have used another plan with great success in 
breaking the worst cases I have ever had of desperate 
confirmed kickers. 

Take two pieces of inch rope about five feet four 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBA1NEB. 11 

inches long. Run one strand out of each of them. 
Now tie a knot in the ends of each or your two strand 
ropes. They should be about four feet long after 
knots are tied. 

These are to be used just as you would use side- 
lines, by bringing the end around the fore legs below 
the pastern joint or next to the hoof and button the 
knot through the rope. Pass the other end around 
the hind leg above the pastern joint and button to fit 
his leg close. Put one on the other side the same 
way. 

It is well to have the side lines wrapped where they 
come around the legs with a rag or soft leather so 
they won't chafe him. I think it best to get a pair of 
chain side lines with stout leather bands. They can 
be had at most any saddler's. 

You now have the horse completely under your 
control and you can totally subdue him and make 
him perfectly gentle in from fifteen to forty minutes 
without taking any chances of getting hurt yourself 
or injuring the horse. 

Now take your staff or pole as above described 
and bring it against his quarters and heels very in 
dustriously so as to cause him to kick which will take 
his front feet from under him and let him down on 
his nose. A performance he will very soon conclude 
he has had enough of. Pass your pole under him 
and bring it up in his flanks, provoking him to kick 
any way you can without hurting him, caressing as 
he shows signs of submission. Use your pole indus- 
triously until he is perfectly indifferent to it being 
brought against his heels, quarters, or in his flanks. 



12 THE HOB St: TAMER AND TRAINEE. 

I have another pole with a tin can (a common fruit 
can will do) fastened firmly on the small end of it 
with some small rocks in it. Shake this around and 
under him. You may get a few good kicks out of 
him that way, which will help to fix the impression 
that to kick is to punish himself. Shake the can 
around and over him until he is indifferent to it. 

Now take a rope and draw it around his quarters 
and heels. Tie a loop in one end of your rope and 
pass it over his loins and bring it under his belly in 
the flanks and pass the other end through the loop 
drawing up tight. This is a hard test and if he stands 
it he will stand anything. Tug away at it until he 
submits to it, then take hold of the part of the rope 
on top of his loins and strip it down over his rump, 
so it will come from hjs flanks around his quarters 
and pull hard. 

You will be surprised how quick you can bring an 
unruly or vicious horse under complete control by 
this method. 

Side lines are in common use everywhere but few 
know the value of them as a means of breaking un- 
ruly horses. I had been handling horses for several 
years before I discovered the value of them. 

After your horse will stand all of the tests without 

offering to kick put your harness on and hitch him 

to the cart or buggy. Leave your breeching- strap 

loose and push the buggy on him ? rattle and shake it 

get up in it stamp around and flourish your whipover 

him. 

It is well to go off and leave him for awhile now with 

the cart hitched to him he can't hurt anything and it 

will cn've him time to take in the situation. 



THE HORSE TAMEB AND IBA1NEB. 13 

Now if you have previously trained his mouth 
with the Four Ringed Bit so you can control him 
easy, you can take off the side lines and drive him 
off without any difficulty. If not take your buggy 
or cart loose, hitch your poles to him and train him 
with the bit as above described when you will be 
ready to drive him with safety. 

Never undertake to drive a horse without first get- 
ting good control of his mouth with the Four Ringed 
Bit. It is not necessary to use it afterward; as an 
ordinary bit will answer equally as well, after you 
have learned him that a bit was made to hold a horse 
with, and he finds that you are determined to use it 
for that purpose. 1 never drive any with this bit; 
only use it for training, When you once get good 
control of his mouth he will ever after remember it 
and you will not have occasion to repeat the lessun. 

If your horse is wild and you think it dangerous to at- 
tempt to put the side lines on him,take a rope twenty 
feet long, tie it loose around his neck close back to his 
shoulders and draw the other end of the rope through 
the part that is around his neck. This will form a 
long loop which you can drop under his belly near 
his hind foot, make him step his hind foot in the loop 
and then draw it up forward and fasten, now you can 
put the ropes on with safety. 

ANOTHER METHOD. 

Take a common strap halter and put on your horse. 
Tie a knot in his tail and pass the halter rein through 
the hair above the knot and draw until you have the 
horse in a half circle and tie in a bow knot. This 
will cause him to go around very rapidly. Have your 



14 THE HORSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 

pole ready and work on his quarters and heels as he 
goes around. When he has gone around until he is 
dizzy and about to fall, untie the rein and immediately 
tie his head around to the other side and pole him in 
the flanks and round his quarters and heels. This is 
very good to use in connection with the side lines as 
the more ways you can show a horse your power the 
better you can control him. 

ANOTHER METHOD OF BREAKING KICKERS. 

This }s also one of the best means of taming a wild 
horse . 

Take a ring three inches in diameter. Divide the 
hair in the horse's tail and slip the ring over one of 
the strands up to the end of the bone and tie a knot 
in the tail below the ring. 

Now tie up the right front foot. Take a long single 
driving rein and buckle in the ring in the tail; pass 
the other end through the bridle ring on the left or 
near side, then back through the ring in tail. 

Now stand in front and a little to the left and pull 
on the rein. This will bring his head back to his side 
when he will fall an easy rolling fall. He may be able 
to stand for a half minute but hold firm. He is out 
of balance and is bound to go. When he falls, slacken 
and he will jump up. 

Draw on your rein and throw him again. Repeat 
as often as he will get up; then get behind him and 
stamp the ground or make some other noise that will 
cause him to rise and as soon as he does throw him 
again. 

You can by his looks and actions tell when he has 
surrendered. Then you can let him up and while 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 15 

standing on three feet take your pole and work on 
his quarters and flanks until he will pay no attention 
to it. 

It may be necessary in very bad cases to change 
and throw from the other side as at first. 

This method works well on a horse that will get up 
as fast as thrown and you can totally subdue such a 
horse in from ten to thirty minutes. 

Occasionally you will find a sullen, stubborn case 
that won't rise after the first fall or two. In such 
cases one or more of the other methods will have to, 
be resorted to in connection with this; but in most 
cases this method will work to perfection. 

A twelve year-old boy can throw the strongest 
horse as fast as he can get up by this plan. 

When your horse has surrendered unconditionally 
and while standing on three feet put your harness 
on him, draw your buggy up and hitch. 

Take a line or rope and pass under the belly band 
and tie around the ankle of the foot that is up and 
take the strap off and let the foot down. 

Now start off slowly and if he shows any signs of 
kicking draw on your toot strap. This will take his 
foot up and prevent his doing any harm. Keep the 
foot strap on a few days, and he will soon drive per- 
fectly gentle. In most cases you will not have to use 
the foot strap but it is best to have it on in case of 
emergency, 

A very important point is that when the horse be- 
haves well he should be encouraged by giving bits of 
apple or a handful of oats, talking to him kindly at 
the same time. 

There is something in this method of throwing that 



16 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

will conquer most horses quicker and better than 
anything else you can do to him and there is no dan- 
ger to yourself or him. 

I have taken horses in hand that it would be dan- 
gerous to go near, as they would strike and kick when 
I would attempt to approach; but when I once got 
the blindfold on so 1 could tie the ring in his tail and 
get one foot up, I could, in from fifteen to thirty min- 
utes have them perfectly gentle so I oould handle 
their feet, crawl under them or sit down on their 
hocks without them taking any notice of it. 

I s he ease with which the character of a wild or vicious 
horse can be changed when properly subjected to 
this method, is wonderful. 

It is peculiarly adapted to vicious stallions. They 
sometimes become very dangerous to handle in the 
ordinary way, but if subjected to this method and 
trained a little with the war bridle they can be han- 
dled with ease and safety. 

I can't repeat too often that you must use the ut- 
most kindness towards your horse. If you will do 
that and follow my simple directions you can handle 
successfully anything that can be brought, but if you 
go into a pitch battle with him and fail, which you 
are sure to do, lay your failure at your own door. 

It's a fight of judgment and reason against strength 
and the former will never fail to win if properly exe- 
cuted. 

You can always tell a man that treats his horses 
mean. He will drive them up and get his wife or 
some of the women folks to come out and catch them 
Thev won't let him as thev don't want their mortal 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER, 17 

enemy to get hold of them as long as they can pre- 
vent it. A woman never treats a horse mean, they 
always have a kind word for them, and it don't take 
a horse long to find out who his friends are. My 
children have a small pony that took the fistula and 
I tied him up and applied some strong medicine sev- 
eral times to set it back. It gave him considerable 
pain and that pony has been suspicious of me ever 
since. 

The children can walk up to him anywhere but I 
can't. He commences to shake himself when I go 
near him for he expects me to put some more of that 
medicine on him. 

If it was to do again I would get some one else to 
doctor him for I don't like any horse to have a bad 
opinion of me. 

I will name the above described method. The 
Throwing Ring, as I shall have occasion to allude to 
it hereafter 

The horse has naturally a kind disposition, yet 
there are many well known instances of his recollecting 
injuries and fearfully revenging them. A person near 
Boston was in the habit, whenever he wished to catch 
his horse in the field, of taking a quantity of corn in 
a measure, by way of bait. On calling to him, the 
horse would come up and eat the corn, while the bri- 
dle was put over his head. But the owner having 
deceived the animal several times by calling him 
when he had no corn in the measure, the horse at 
length began to suspect the design; and coming up 
one day, as usual, on being called, looked into the 
measure and seeing it empty, reared on his hind legs, 



18 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

and striking with his fore feet, killed his master on 
the spot. 

A good master will never cheat his horse by false 
promises. 

KICKERS IN DOUBLE HARNESS. 

They should be handled the way as directed for 
kickers in single harness. Get good control of the 
mouth with the Four Ringed Bit and apply one or 
more of the methods named. It will take more hand- 
ling for some horses than others as there are different 
degrees of resistance. One horse may surrender in 
ten or fifteen minutes and another may hold out an 
hour or more, but don't get discouraged. Persevere 
and you will finally win. It is necessary in some 
cases when a horse gets mad and stubborn to let him 
stand over until the next day when he will generally 
submit readily. After you subdue your horse it is 
best to give short lessons in training his mouth, say 
fifteen or twenty minutes at a time and then let him 
rest as long. A few such lessons will give you per- 
fect control of him. 

Always test your horse for the first few times 
hitching up after you have subdued him, by bringing, 
your pole against his quarters and in bis flanks If 
he resists partially repeat the former treatment. 

ANOTHER WAY. 

Take a three-eighth inch rope about thirteen feet 
long and pass a ring about two inches in diameter 
over one end of it, and tie a loop fourteen inches 
long, leaving the ring in the loop. Now about 
twenty inches farther along the rope from the knot 
tie another ring in the rope with a common knot. 

Now put the loop in his mouth, with the knot 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 19 

forming the loop on the offside, and the ring in loop 
on near side. Raise the loop up over his nose and 
hold with one hand. Bring the rope from offside up 
over his head, about where the headstall rests, and 
down and through the ring in loop, and back up 
through the other ring and down through lower ring 
again. Now bring the part of the loop that you 
hold over his nose down and under his upper lip, as 
far back under as it will go. Now pull away on the 
end of the rope that is through the rings and draw it 
up tight and tie. 

This brings a powerful pressure on top of his head 
where the spinal column is exposed, as well as his 
jaw and mouth. 

Now take your pole and work on his quarters and 
heels . He may kick a few times but he will soon 
surrender completely. When he lowers his head, 
raises his tail and looks sleepy out of his eyes, you 
you may know he has given up. 

Now draw your pole up on him and hitch; put 
your bridle on over the rope, take your reins <iown 
ready and slacken up some on the rope until there is 
about one-half of the former pressure. Start him 
up, drive a little ways, and if he behaves well, slacken 
up a little more. 

When you have taken all the pressure off remove 
the rope and continue to drive around. 

You will find that this has a powerful effect on a 
bad horse. The rope should not be left on a horse 
longer than twenty or twenty-five minutes at the 
outside. Ten to fifteen will generally do. 

When your horse drives well to the poles and you 
are ready to hitch him to your buggy or cart, put the 



20 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

pressure on him again, and after he has .stood five or 
ten minutes, draw your buggy up and hitch. 

Take hold of the wheels and rattle. If he stands 
quiet let a little of the pressure off and rattle again; 
repeat until all the pressure is off. 

Now take your reins in hand aud stand to one side 
and start him off slowly. Drive around you in a cir- 
cle, change to the other side and repeat. 

When he goes well get in and drive off slowly, at 
first gradually working him up to a faster gait as he 
goes well. 

I shall call this the "Texas War Bridle," as I will 
have occasion to allude to it under other heads. 

If I had a bad kicker to drive and had only thirty 
minutes to do it in, I should use this method. I 
have broken some of the worst horses I have ever 
handled in this way. 

In requires more skill than any of the other meth- 
ods, as where there is a great deal of resistance, it 
takes a corresponding amount of pressure. The 
pressure should be regulated according to the 
amount of resistance, as little pressure is required 
where there is little resistance. A horse may kick 
desperately when you commence poling him. but 
keep it up and he will not hold out long. If he does 
you haven't enough pressure on, so you must 
draw tight and continue, you will surely win the 
fight. You can make the worst cases perfectly sub- 
missive in from fifteen to twenty-five minutes if you 
have regulated the pressure right. 

It is also a good plan to use this in connection 
with the other methods on bad cases. 



THE HOBSE TAMEB AND TRAINER. 21 

TO BREAK SINGLE BALKERS. 

Put on and adjust the Four Ringed Bit as directed 
for kicking. 

Balky horses are always stubborn, and you want 
to learn him that you can move him, and to do this 
you must so train his mouth that when you pull the 
right or left rein he will obey and step to the right 
or left. 

Get directly behind them and take both of your 
lines at about the same length, then step off about 
two steps to the left, bringing your right line around 
his quarters, giving it a hard raking pull, step around 
to the same side and give him another yank. 

Then step to the other side and give it to him the 
same way, change sides often until he will promptly 
stay around at the slightest pull. He may be very 
stubborn at first and want to turn his head around to 
his side without stopping, but if you step well to one 
side that gives you a double lever. While you are 
pulling his head around it draws his quarters to you, 
forcing him to step around. This will let him know 
that you have the power to move him. 

When you get him so he will step to the right or 
left at the slighest pull, get directly behind him with 
a short whip or switch in your right hand. Give him 
a slight pull to one side, enough to make him step 
around, and at the same time tap him and say, "Get 
up Sir." Thib will move him. After he has gone a 
few steps say "Whoa" and give a stout pull on the 
reins. 

Repeat this stopping and starting each time, pul" 
ling him a little to one side, and speak to him and 
tap him at the same time, until he will start promptly 



22 THE I10BSE TAMER AND TRAINEE. 

when you pull him to one side, and say "Get up." 

Now hitch him to your breaking poles as described 
under the head of kicking. Then buckle a curb strap 
to the stationary rings and bring your off line over 
his head and down the near side, and pass it down 
under the curb strap. If you will step back towards 
his shoulder and pull a little you will see that you 
have a double lever on the bit and that you can 
make hh»i feel your power without laying out a great 
deal of strength. 

Now step out at about two steps opposite his 
shoulder and lift him to you with considerable force. 
Stop and caress him. Repeat this until he will step 
around at the slightest pull. 

Now each time you pull step a little farther back 
towards his rump and a little closer to him until you 
can stand back the length of your line and directly 
behind him, and bring him around at a slight pull.* 

Repeat the lesson from the opposite side using 
your right rein as you did your left until he will per- 
form equally well from that side. Now get directly be- 
hind him and pull a little on one rein, say "Get up" 
and tap him at the same time just as you did before 
hitching him to the poles, until he will start off 
promptly at word of command, which he will soon 
do. Stop and start often, requiring him to go a little 

farther each time. 

Now the reason you should not take the same po- 
sition with a balker after hitching him to the poles 
that you did before, is that he could brace his hind 
parts against the poles and prevent your moving him, 
thereby learning him your weakness; a thing you 
want to keep him in ignorance of. 

The principal is that you must keep yourself in a 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 23 

position while training a balker to make him obey 
you, gradually lessening the force as he submits, un- 
til he will obey by word of command or moderate 
use of the reins. 

It positively does no good to whip a balky horse 
to make him go. It only confirms the habit. 

Your neighbor can always tell you how to work a 
balky. You can try it all and your balker will stand 
and look back at you. He has no respecc for what 
they say. Of course there are simple things not nec- 
essary to mention here that will start a balky horse 
sometimes, but to merely start him and to break him 
of the habit are two different things. He must be 
educated out of it. There must be reason in it from 
cause to effect. You must be master of the situa- 
tion at every step you take in breaking him, for if you 
leave a gap down he will step out at it 

After he goes well to the poles hitch him to your 
wagon. Ta.ke him by the bridle bit and pull him a 
little to one side and say "Get up." Lead him off a 
few steps and stop him. Repeat ti is at each time, 
getting a little farther back until you get opposite 
the wagon, caress him often. 

Now get in and pull a little to one side and say 
"Get up." If he shows any signs of stopping you 
must take him by the bit and lead him off for the 
first few times after you have broken him, before you 
get in. Don't load heavy at first but add a little 
more and more each time and you will soon have 
him perfectly reliable. It is no trick at all to break 
a balky horse when you know how. 

A doctor once amputated a man's leg and sent his 
Irish footman around afterward to collect the bill, 
which was fifty dollars. 



24 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

The patient said that was a terrible price as it 
didn't take the docter more than thirty minutes to do 
the job. The Irishman said %4 Be jabbers it's not the 
work we charge for but the know now/' That is the 
secret in handling horses, knowing how." 

I once had a very balky horse brought to me to 
break. The owner was a good horseman and had 
exhausted all of his skill and patience on him to 
make him go but failed. He had a man working for 
him that claimed, if there was any one thing he 
could do better than another it was to break balky 
horses. So he took him in hand and exhausted his 
skill and patience and then wore out a pecan club 
on him. Of course he failed. The owner said he 
was no account as he was, and I could experiment on 
him and he didn't care if I killed him. I told him I 
would not hurt him, so took him in hand. 

This horse was black, fifteen hands high, strong 
and a very determined fellow. When you would 
put the harness on him and get behind him with the 
reins to make him go, he would stubbornly fall over 
on his side and lay. He had resisted every effort to 
handle him until he had implicit confidence in him- 
self. 

I put my Four Ringed Bit on him and passed my 
near rein through the off ring and brought it over his 
head and down under the chin strap so formed (as 
before described), and stepped back opposite his 
shoulder, and before I suspected anything, I lifted 
him to me with all my might. I repeated this from 
both sides until he got so he would step to me. as 
soon as I took my position to avoid the pull. 

I then got hold of the reins and took the same po- 



THE HOBSE TAN EB AND TRAINEE. 25 

sition as described in first lesson on kicking and lifted 
him right and left until he would turn right or left at 
the slightest pull. 

I then took him by the bit and moved him around 
me in a circle, gradually working back towards his 
flank and finally working in behind him. I repeated 
the lesson from the other side until he would start 
and stop promptly at the word of command. 

I knew if I took my position abruptly behind him 
that I would fail to make him go, as he had been 
used to resisting all efforts to make him go while in 
that position to him. It was essential in this case to 
get at a point and in a position that I coulu use the 
most power on him and so lay a foundation to work 
from. After getting control of him at this point y 
then to gradually work back to the point of resist- 
ance, using such force on him at every step that 
would keep him under perfect control. 

i now hitched him to the poles and partially re 
peated the lesson, and he drove off vJTy nicely, but 
when I hitched a chunk of wood to the hind end of 
the poles in order to see how he would go up into the 
coliar, I saw on starting him that he was going to re- 
fuse to pull. He had agreed to go and turn right 
and left, but he had not yet agreed that he would do 
any pulling for me. 

I had told the man to come back the next day, and 
I would have the horse to the cart, hauling wood 
with him 

He was as certain I would fail as I was that I 
would succeed. 

I saw that I would have to take snap judgment on 
the horse to have him pulling true the next day, so 



26 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAILER. 

put half of a double harness on him and hooked the 
traces to a single tree very short, so it came up hard 
against his quarters, I then tied a short rope to the 
off trace opposite his flank and brought it over his 
loins and tied to the near trace, passing the end 
under the belly at the flanks and tieing to off trace. 

This was to hold him in the traces if he should fall 
down or rear up. 

I now took him down to the creek and found an 
Elm limb that made off at right angles from the tree 
and about four inches in diameter at the trunk. 

I then tied one end of a three-fourth inch rope 
around his neck and passed the other end through 
the rope around his neck from the front, drew it up 
and put the loop so formed in his mouth. 

This is called a war bridle and is very severe. 

I then took the other end of the rope to an Elm 
tree that stood off at right angles from the swinging 
limb. I now took another rope and tied it to the 
swinging limb^and passed it through the ring in the 
single tree and back over the limb and through the 
ring again. This gave me sufficient purchase .to 
draw the limb very light, which I did. 

As soon as the traces began to tighten he gave 
back to the end of the rope, then I drew as tight a 
I could and made fast. 

I sat down in the shade to watch the performance 
and give him time to make up his mind whether he 
would pull by the traces or by the rope in his mouth, 
which was very severe on him. He set back on the 
war bridle about two minutes and then fell over on 
his side. He soon found that this didn't relieve him 
any, as the rope still held a firm grip on him, so in 
about a minute he came to his feet again and made a 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB 27 

lunge forward ond flew back again. 

He repeated this a few times with a little less vim 
each time. It didn't take him long to decide which 
end was the most convenient to pull at. When he 
did you ought to have seen that horse pull. I went 
and drew the limb up tighter but he kept plenty- 
slack on the head rope. 

I let him stand there about an hour to get the 
impression well fixed, and he would always pull after 
that. I could hitch him to a tree and take him by 
the bit and he would stand and pull like an ox. 

When the owner came and saw how well the horse 
performed he said I had conjured him. 

He was certain there was some magic about it. 
Men would rather believe in something miraculous 
than to accept anything practical. If I were to tell 
them that there was a certain kind of medicine that 
would break a horse of bad habits and then offer 
the medicine for sale I could do a good business; but 
there is no such thing and it would be a grand fraud. 

You might give a horse a dose of Epicac or Lobe- 
lia and make him deathly sick and handle him while 
so affected but he would be as bad as ever when the 
effects of the medicine wore off. 

Traveling horse men have perpetrated this fraud 
on the people and it works a hardship on a horseman 
that wants to do the honest thing. A young balky 
horse rarely ever needs anything more than handling 
well with the reins to break him of the habit. 

The Four Ringed Bit, patience and perseverance 
will conquer them every time. 

TO BREAK DOUBLE BALKERS. 

You must handle him well with the Four Ringed 



28 THE HOE SE TAMEB AND TRAINEE. 

Bit as directed for single balkers. When he handles 
well and starts and stops at the word of command; 
take a stout rope twenty feet long, tie a loop in one 
end and throw it across his loins, bringing it under 
his belly from the off side well back to his flanks. 
Pass the other end of the rope through the loop and 
draw it up. Now bring the end of the rope between 
his front legs and pass it through the halter ring and 
tie it to a tree or post and cause him to pull back as 
long as he will tighten the rope. Now take a small 
one-fourth inch rope twenty-five feet long. Take off 
your large rope and halter and make a loop in the 
small rope and bring it around his loins and flank as 
you did the large one, but this time don't pass it be- 
tween his front legs. Tie the other end around his 
neck. Catch hold of the rope about a foot from 
where it ties around his neck and double it. Pass 
the double part through the rope around his neck 
from behind and bring the loop so formed; down and 
into his mouth, forming a war bridle or draw hitch as 
described under the head of single balkers. 

Now take hold of the double rope about three feet 
from the head giving the end around his flank plenty 
of slack. Step out about three feet opposite his 
shoulder and lift him to you. Repeat this until he 
will come at the slightest pull. Now as you grad- 
ually work around in front make the rope that is 
around his head and the end that is in his flank even, 
pulling on them both at the same time. As he gets 
so he will come forward at the slightest pull this way 
gradually slacken off on the rope that is in his 
mouth and pull on the one around his flank. He will 
.^cm get so he will come forward at the slightest 



THE HOBSE TAMEB AND TRAINER. 29 

pull on the flank rope. 

You are then ready to hitch up. We will suppose 
the balker to be the off horse and you have 
done your training on the near side and in front 
(if it is the near horse train htm from the offside and 
in front.) You now put your stout rope around his 
flank again. Harness up, snap your check reins and 
bring the rope forward (not between his legs) and 
fasten to near horse's hame ring drawing the rope up 
until he can just stand comfortable when even with 
the near horse. Before hitching to the wagon start 
your near horse up a few times by tapping him, in 
order to catch the balker and learn him that he must 
start when the other horse does. 

When he starts promptly hitch them to the wagon 
You must keep the rope on a few days until he goes 
well. He will be afraid to fly back as he expects to 
be caught in the flank with the rope. 

TO BREAK a WILD H?RSE TO RIDE. 

If he is very wild blindfold him and if he kicks 
when you touch his hind leg with a stick, tie up one 
hind foot and put your rope side-lines on him as de- 
scribed under the head of kicking. Now let down 
his foot and take off the blindfold. Get your pole 
and go to work on his quarters, heels and flanks. 
Get all the kick out of him before you do anything 
else. He will soon surrender so you can walk up to 
him and catch him in the flank, or do as you please 
around him. 

Now jump up on his back get straddle of him and 
wallow around on him in every shape. He can't hurt 
you. Get on and off from both ,'sides often. Now 
get your saddle and let him smell it and feel it with 



30 THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINEE. 

his nose; throw it up on him carelessly and if he flinch- 
es or jumps from it repeat it until he is indifferent to it. 
Girth tight and get on and off from both sides often. 
Slap him on the wethers with both hands while on 
him and reach and catch him in the flanks. Make 
all kinds of motions until he stands perfectly quiet 
and indifferent to what you are doing. 

What causes a horse to pitch is that he is not ac- 
customed to seeing any one on his back or to having 
the girth drawn up on him. 

The reason there are so many bucking horses in 
Texas is the way they are first broken and when a 
horse once pitches he is liable to become confirmed 
in the habit the same as in any other vicious habit 
such as kicking, balking or running away; but if he 
is handled as above descnbed it is impossible for him 
to pitch and as soon as he becomes accustomed to 
being mounted and dismounted and seeing you in 
the different positions on him you ean take the side- 
lines offand ride him just as you would any genlle 
horse. 

It would be well to train his mouth with the Four 
Ringed Bit before riding so you can control him well. 

You will find that you can break six horses by this 
method where you can break one the old way and 
with but little work and no danger. I can ride a 
horse off with impunity in one half hour by this 
method that I wouldn't get on for fifty dollars before 
treatment. 

I have two boys ten and twelve years old that have 
broken several ponies in this way. I would 
do nothing more than to put the side-lines on for 



THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 31 

them and say, "There boys I want you to ride that 
Bronco for me to-day." 

They have never failed to ride them perfectly gen- 
tle and have never been thrown or had one to pitch 
with them yet. They have watched me do it so often 
they know just how to go at it and take great pride 
in it; and I will say just here that I have never in the 
hundreds of vicious horses that I have handled had 
one to buck me or throw me off. 

The secret is to break them before you give them 
their liberty. There are plenty of good riders in the 
country that can tie a Bronco to a post; blindfold, 
saddle and bridle him; tie the stirrups together and 
mount and stay there until the horse wears himself 
and rider out pitching. That only shows that the 
man is a good rider. There is no horsemanship in it 
at all. But if he could take the same horse and so 
handle him in the same length of time, that he could 
ride him off without having a circus, I would say he 
was a horse master 

These Bronco riders always get afraid of horses 
after a while and wont get on a wild one at all. They 
generally quit slightly disfigured and I have known 
riders to be bucked by wild horses until they would 
have hemorraje of the lungs. I am going to let a 
horse know I am his master before I try to ride him. 

Sometimes the horse shows great obstinancy and 
suffers himself to be whipped rather than yield to the 
wishes of his master; but this usually arises from bad 
treatment in his early training Jor many horses have 
very poor teachers. 

If you will handle as above described andgeteood 



32 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

control of his mouth as described under the head of 
kicking you can ride any of them with safety. 

If you should turn your horse out after riding him 
a time or two it would be well when you want to ride 
him again to put on one side-line and get on and off 
a few times to remind him of his lesson. You will 
seldom find it necessary to repeat a second time. 
won't stand while getting in. 
This is a very bad habit. If you don't let horses 
of this nature go when they want to they generally 
refuse to go when you are ready, or they will start 
off by lunging. This habit is easily broken up. 

Put on the Four Ringed Bit and train him well 
right and left, then get behind him and start him off. 
After he has gone a few steps say "Whoa," and give 
a hard pull on the reins. New make a noise such as 
stamping on the ground, flourishing your whip, and 
when he starts set him back with all your power. 

Start him off again by speaking to h»m and tap- 
ping him with the whip. After he has gone a few 
steps say u Whoa" and give another pull. Repeat 
the noise behind him, and when he attempts to start 
set him back on his hands if you can. He will soon un- 
derstand that he is not to start until he is told to do so. 
You are now ready to hitch him to your buggy. 
Get right in, flourish your whip and stamp around, 
and you will be surprised at the change you have 
made in him in so short a time. Never let him start 
until you tell him to, and never strike your horse to 
start him. Always speak to him first, and if he don't 
obey promptly, then tap him. 

If you strike your horse to start him, he will soon 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 33 

want to start as soon as he hears or sees you getting 
in the buggy, to avoid the lick. Horses are gener- 
ally taught this habit in this *vay, by ignorant 
drivers. 

You can take a horse that won't bear to have the 
whip raised behind him, and in fifteen minutes you 
can drop your reins on the ground and flourish the 
whip over him, and he will appear to enjoy it after 
he finds you are not going to hurt him. 

Persons that don't know how it is done will say 
that you have conjured him or given him some med- 
icine, or account for it in some other unreasonable 
way. They can always tell you that they know of 
some other horse that you can't handle that way. 
Don't be afraid to tell them to bring them on and 
you will test the matter with them from two to one. 

TO BREAK RUNAWAY HORSES. 

Put on the Four Ringed Bit and train him right 
and left. Then get behind him and start him off. 
When he has gone a few steps say ''Whoa" and set 
back on the reins with all your might. Repeat this 
until he will stop at the slightest pull. Then make 
any kind of noise behind him that will excite him to 
start, and when he does so bring him back and re- 
peat the noise. 

A runaway horse is generally afraid of the rattle 
of a wagon. 

Now drive him up to a wagon or buggy, turn his 
head from it, and take hold of the wagon with one 
hand and shake it moderately at first. If he attempts 
to start, set him back. Repeat, finally making all the 
noise you can in and around the wagon, until he will 



34 THE HORSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 

stand perfectly quiet. If he is sensitive around the 
quarters put the side-lines on him and pole his quart- 
ers, heels and flanks until he stands indifferent to it. 
If you have good control of his mouth you can now 
hitch him up and drive him anywhere. You will 
find you can hold him under any kind of excitement. 

It is well to drive him a few days with the Four 
Ringed bit on. 

He will find it impossible to take it in his teeth 
and go, as it wouldn't effect your power on him in 
the least. You will throw of his combination the first 
pull. 

Runaway horses are always hard-mouthed. They 
will sometimes bow their necks and walk off with 
you when you first commence to train them; but 
don't be discouraged you will bring him. 

With such horses, I generally tie my lines together 
and start along by the side of a fence, and just as I 
give the command to stop I drop them over a post 
and double him up a few times in this way. It will 
make the pb much easier. 

It is no use to try to get some severe bit to 
hold your horse with, for he will run away with any 
of the patent bits unless his mouth is well trained 
first, then you can hold him with any kind of bit. 
There is positively no other* way to break up this 
habit. 

It is generally sufficient to give your horse two or 
three lessons of fifteen to thirty minutes each. 

Never hitch your horse to a buggy or any kind of 
vehicle to break him of any bad habit. If you do you 
will break more buggies than horses. Break them 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 35 

first; then hitch to the driving poles as a substitute, 
as they can't hurt them. 

You can take a horse that four men can't hold, and 
with a little training in this way, you can control and 
hold him anywhere with one hand. You will be 
surprised how quick you can gain control of him. 

I can get up an excitement in any town where they 
have a bad runaway horse, as I never fail to drive 
them perfectly gentle in from thirty minutes to one 
hour. I have driven horses in this way that hadn't 
been hitched up for years. If they are kickers they 
have to be treated as directed under that head, in 
addition to training the mouth. 

TO BREAK BOLTERS. 

Put on the Four Ringed Bit (it is always under- 
stood that you should also put on single harness so 
that you can press the reins through the shaft lugs 
when you get behind your horse, so as to hold the 
reins down; or a saddle with the stirrups tied to- 
gether, with a tope passing under his belly, will 
answer the purpose), and train him vigorously from 
both bides, commencing the lesson by passing the 
near rein through the off ring and bringing it over his 
head and down andunder the rein where it passes 
across and under the chin as directed under the head 
of balking. Then step to the left side opposite his 
shoulder and lift him to you. Repeat this until he 
will come at the slightest pull; then change to the off 
side and train in same way. 

When he responds to a slight pull, pass your reins 
through the shaft lugs and get behind and to the left 



36 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

about opposite the left hip. Bring the off rein 
around his quarters and lift him. 

Repeat a few times and change to the other side. 
Go on with the lesson until he will come at the 
slightest pull. If he ever attempts to give his head 
around without stepping, lift him clear off the earth 
if you can. He will soon learn that when you pull 
to one side or the other he must move that way. 

Drive him some to your pole before hitching to 
the buggy. Drive him by your stable or somewhere 
that he is in the habit of bolting with you, and if he 
attempts to go his way step to the opposite side and 
lift him to you. When he turns readily in the poles 
you can hitch buggy or cart, and if he tries to bolt 
double him back on opposite side. You will soon 
have him so you can handle him with perfect ease. 

With this habit, as with running away, there is no 
possible way to break it up, without thoroughly 
training the mouth, when they will be so tractable 
that a ten-year-old boy can drive them anywhere. 

Never stop when you get a horse so you can 

barely handle him, for if you do he is very likely to 
go back on you, and you will have all your work to 
do over again. But train him so if you were to loose 
your right hand you could drive him with your left. 

I have known fine horses to be entirely worthless 
because the); were confirmed in this habit. They 
are liable to bolt off a bridge or into a tree; in fact 
they don't appear to have much choice what they 
bolt into. 

Owners of such horses are always looking around 
for some kind of bit that they can hold their horse in 
the road with but they will never find it. 



THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINEE 37 

There is only one way out of the difficulty and that 
is to thoroughly train his mouth with the Four Ring- 
ed Bit. . 

TO BREAK LUNGERS. 

First get good control of the mouth with the Four 
Ringed Bit. 

I will now explain the two-ring surcingle. It is 
something that every horseman needs and is indis- 
pensible in breaking lungers. Any saddler can make 
one for you. 

Take a piece of webbing (such as is used for mak- 
ing saddle girths) five feet long and four inches wide 
and a good strong leather strap seven feet long and 
one and a half inches wide. This strap is to be 
stitched on the webbing. Have a good strong buckle 
on one end and the other end extend past the web- 
ging about two feet which makes the strap to buckle 
up with. When you have stitched about thirteen 
inches from the buckle end, slip a halter ring on the 
leather strap up to the stitching and sew it on. A 
halter ring is made with an iron loop to it which 
stands at right angles to the ring which will make 
your ring parallel with the leather strap. The loop 
must be one and a half inches so the leather strap 
will pass through it. When you have stitched five 
inches farther slip another ring on the leather strap 
and stitch on as before. This is a common ring and 
stands at right angles with the other ring and cross- 
ways the leather strap. Stitch the leather strap all 
the way along to the end of the webbing and your 
two ringed surcingle is complete. 

You now want a strap seven-eights of an inch wide 



38 THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

and eight feet long with a ring firmly fastened in one 
end and a loop in the other) make the loop by turn- 
ing the end back about three inches and sewing.) 
You now want two stout foot straps. Pass a ring on 
one of them and buckle around the left front ankle. 
Now buckle your surcingle on and take your eight 
foot strap by the loop end and pass it, from behind, 
through the ring nearestyou, on the surcingle. Bring 
the same end down and pass through ring on the foot 
strap. Pass it through the other ring an the surcin- 
gle and down to the right foot. Pass the other foot 
strap through the loop and buckle around the foot. 
The ring that is on your eight-feet strap must be 
large enough so it will not pass through the ring on 
the surcingle. This will keep the slack up so he will 
not get his feet tangled. He can walk or trot per- 
fectly natural. 

You now tie a rope, or buckle a single line in this 
ring, and you are ready for business. 

Kitchhim to a two-horse wagon by the side of a 
gentle horse and get in. Take your foot strap line in 
one hand and your reins in the other. Don't be 
afraid of him tearing things up. You have got him. 
Start your team off, and when he makes a lunge pull 
on the strap, and he will come down on his knees 
and nose. Every time he rears the least bit, take his 
front feet out from under him, which you can do very 
easy with one hand. He will soon get afraid to take 
both front feet off the ground at once, and will drive 
off as quiet as your gentle horse, and you can now 
hitch him single, or anywhere you want him. 

Keep the rig on him a few days u.itil he is thor- 
oughly broken. 



THE HOBSE TAMEB AND TBAINEE. 39 

I have had horses brought to me, to break of this 
habit, that would stand perfectly quiet while being 
hitched; but as soon as you attempted to start thern^ 
they would begin lunging, and keep it up until they 
tore loose from the wagon. 

Such a horse can't be broken in the usual way, but 
with the above described rig, you can break them 
every time. I never have failed yet. You can 
take any runaway horse and put this rig on him and 
get in the buggy, and drive him with safety. He is 
completely at your mercy. 

In order to test this rig, I have gotten the wildest 
bronco's I could find, and, without even halter break- 
ing or training their mouths in the least, have blind- 
folded and hitched them to a wagon, and drove them. 

I have my ten-year old boy with me in the wagon 
with such a horse, and give him the strap, and he 
could throw him with ease as fast as he could get up. 
When you stand one on his head about six or seven 
times, he will get up and walk off as carefully as an old 
horse. If he starts to kick, draw on your strap. In 
fact when he don't do just right, stand him on his 
head and he will soon learn that you are not to be 
trifled with. 

Any man that handles horses can't afford to be 
without a two ringed surcingle. 

HARD TO SHOE. 

Horses that have acquired this bad habit, should 
be thoroughly broken at home. The blacksmith 
shop is no place to break him, as blacksmiths are 
not so much interested in the horse as they are in 
the shoes and the price of putting them on. They 



40 THE HORSE TAMER AVD TBAINER. 

are very likely to lose their temper if the horse resists 
much, and strike them with the shoeing hammer, 
which only makes matters worse . 

To break a horse of this habit, put on the two 
ringed surcingle, pass a strap or rope six or seven 
feet long through one ring, and tie to one front foot. 
Now take a foot strap with a strong snap fastened on 
it, buckle around the other front foot, and raise it up 
and snap it in the other ring of the surcingle. 

Take the first strap in one hand and a hammer in 
the other, and commence tapping his foot about as a 
smith would when shoeing. If he makes a lunge to 
get loose, draw on the strap. This takes his foot 
from under him and brings him to his knees. Slack- 
en at once to let him up, and repeat the hammering. 
Every time he takes the loose foot off the ground, 
bring him down. He will soon stand perfectly still 
and let you hammer all you please, when you must 
change to the other front foot and treat as before. 

Don't stop the treatment as long as he shows any 
resistance. When he stands quiet, take the straps 
and surcingle off and you will find that you can take 
either of his fore feet up and handle as you please. 

HARD TO SHOE BEHIND. 

Buckle your foot strap with the snap fastened to it 
around his hind foot. Take a piece of small stout 
rope about two and one-half feet long, and pass it 
through a ring and tie the ends together. Now tie 
a knot in his tail close up to the bone, and pass this 
loop over it and divide the hair above the knot; pull 
the ring down through and raise his hind foot and 
snap in the ring. 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 41 

Before you fasten his hind foot up, you should put 
on the Four Ringed Bit adjusted as described under 
head of ''Kicking With Curb Strap On/' If you are 
going to take up his near hind foot, first buckle your 
off line in and bring over his head and under curb 
strap, (as described under head of balking.) 

Take the rein in one hand and hammer in the other 
and commence to tap his foot. If he attempts to 
kick or moves out of his tracks lift him with your 
rein. 

He will soon learn that he can't take his foot away 
and set it down when he pleases. He will stand per- 
fectly quiet, when you must handle the other foot the 
same way. You may have to repeat the lesson once 
or twice in bad cases, but ordinarily, one lesson is 
sufficient. 

ANOTHER WAY. 

Put on the Texas War Bridle, and draw tight. Let 
him stand about five minutes, and commence hand- 
ling his feet, hammering on them as above described. 
As he submits let a little of the pressure off and re- 
peat the handling until he will stand quiet without 
any pressure on. 

This is a very good method for a blacksmith to 
use as he can keep control of him easily until he can 
shoe him; though the first method is the best way to 
effectually break up the habit. 

HARD TO BRIDLE. 

To break ahorse of this habit, put on the Texas 
War Bridle and bring considerable pressure upon 
him. Buckle a rein in the lower ring of the war bri- 
dle, and commence to handle his ears gently at first, 



42 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

if he jumps away from you, lift him back with your 
rein and repeat until he will stand quiet. Then put 
on, and take off your bridle often while the pressure 
is on. Gradually let off the pressure, continuing to 
handle his ears, and put on and take off the bridle un- 
til he will stand quiet without any pressure on. 

It will take but a short time to accomplish this- 
Treat him kindly, never grab a horse by the ear and 
hold him until you bridle him. It will only make 
him worse and he will dodge every time you make a 
motion towards his head, and it is very painful to a 
have his ears pulled in this way. 

You must be very gentle and careful in bridling 
for awhile after treatment, and it may be necessary 
to repeat the treatment in part, but he will soon learn 
that you are not going to hurt him when there will 
the no more trouble. 

There is always a cause for a horse having such a 
foolish habit. He has either had an unmerciful or ig- 
norant master, or their ears are or have been sore. 

The principle is to bring such force to bear on him 
that will compel his submission, and then hold the 
point so gained by kind treatment. That is the prin- 
ciple that must be borne in mind through all the long 
list of bad habits. 

There is positively no other way to get control 
of a horse. If you undertake to do it by brute force 
you will surely faiL 

Any one, if he will follow these simple directions, 
can control the worst horse; then if he will keep 
him under control thereafter there will generally be 
no more trouble. 



THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 43 

ANOTHER WAY. 

Put on your throwing rig, as described under head 
of kicking and throw him, and draw your rein tight. 
This will bring his head back to his side, and he will 
be entirely helpless; when you can handle his ears to 
your heart's content. 

When he surrenders let him up, and while stand- 
ing on three feet, bridle and unbridle often and use 
the same precautions afterwards as above described* 

HARD TO HARNESS. 

To break a horse of this put on your side-lines* 
and put the harness on and take off often. As he 
submits, stand a little farther off and pitch them on. 

Repeat until you can stand six or eight feet away 
and pitch them on him without his offering any re- 
sistance. 

He will cave around at first but it will be of short 
duration. 

Handle the same from both sides. 

ANOTHER WAY. 

Put on the Texas war bridle and handle the same 
way until he surrenders unconditionally, then grad- 
ually take off the pressure. 

Never compromise a case with a horse, that is, to 
allow him to say ''you can handle me from this side 
but you can't from the other." 

Show him you can stand ten feet behind him and 
throw the harness on him if you want to. 

He don't think you can, but when you prove it to 
him, he will give it up like any other honest fellow. 
Always prove it before you stop. 



44 THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

AFRAID OF UMBRELLA, ROBE, &C, 

Put the side lines and the Four ringed bridle on; 
bring rein over the head and under the curb. Now 
take a closed umbrella in one hand and the rein in 
the other. Approach him slowly, holding it out so 
he can smell of it and feel it with his nose. When 
he is satisfied there is no harm in it in this form, step 
back to the end of your rein and partly open it and 
let him look at it. Approach him slowly and if he 
attempts to turn from you lift him back. When he 
will submit to having it brought over his head and 
around him, step to the end of the rein again, open 
wide and approach as before. 

He will soon learn the harmless nature of it and 
allow you to flourish it over him as much as you 
choose. Get on his back; open and close it and 
swing it about. 

If he is afraid of a robe treat the same way, until 
you can stand off six or eight feet and pitch it on 
him from any direction. 

It is very essential for you to put the side-lines on, 
in breaking a horse of this habit, as it renders him 
helpless and you can approach him from any quarter. 
Otherwise he could manage to keep out of your way 
in spite of all your efforts. 

Don't try to force it on him suddenly, as this is the 
cause of the fear of such things in the first place, and 
he may take fright at it again. 

AFRAID OF TOP BUGGY. 

A horse may drive gentle to an open buggy, yet 
be unmanageable when hitched to one with a top. 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 46 

To break him of this put on side lines with Four 
Ringed bridle and rein under cart strap. Have some 
one to draw the buggy up in front of him with the 
top down. 

Let him smell and feel of it with his nose, until he 
is satisfied of the harmless nature of it. 

Then have the assistant raise the top slowly, If 
he attempts to turn away, lift him back and raise and 
lower the top again. He will soon pay no attention 
to it, when you can have it drawn all around him 
with the top up, stopping occasionally and rattling 
it. If he attempts to turn either to or from it, lift him 
back. 

Now put your harness on him just as he stands 
and hitch up. Get in and rattle around; raise and 
lower the top often. If you have good controLof 
his mouth you can now drive him off with safety. 

Never undertake to drive any horse after breaking 
him of a bad habit without first having good control 
of his mouth; it is a small job but very essential. If 
you have control of his mouth he is at your mercy; 
if not not, you are at his. 

From two to three short lessons, of fifteen minutes 
each, with the four ringed bit, will be sufficient for 
all time to come. 

HALTER AND BRIDLE PULLERS. 

To effectually break up this habit take a half inch 
rope, tie a loop in one end to fit his lower jaw. Put 
it on and bring the rope over his head and down 
through the loop on opposite side. Now press the 
rope through a stout ring, fastened to a firm post or 



41 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

tree, and press the end back between his front legs, 
and around his body and tie with a loop knot so it 
will draw up when he pulls. 

Now get in front and cause him to pull back. Keep 
up a racket so as to make him pull hard. He will 
soon jump forward, when you must caress him. 

Make him pull back as often as you can without 
abusing him. You can so completely break him of 
this habit in ten minutes that he can't be made to 
tighten the rope. 

You must see that the ring and fastenings is se- 
cure so he can't possibly break loose, as this would 
encourage him to make a harder fight. 

It is best to give this lesson in a place where he is 
in the habit of breaking loose, and if there is any 
particular object that causes it, bring it to his notice 
while giving the lesson. 

HANDLING AND HITCHING UP THE COLT. 

I have been telling in my simple way how to break 
up bad habits in mature horses. 

I shall now explain the best methods of breaking 
the colts, so that you will have none of the bad habits 
to contend with afterwards. 

If he is gentle so you can handle without any 
danger of his kicking or striking, take your pole and 
bring it against his quarters; but if he kicks, put the 
side line on him at once, and pole him until he shows 
no signs of kicking. 

If your colt is wild'put the side lines on and pole 
until perfectly gentle. 

This must always be the first thing done, as you 
can't learn a wild colt*anything,and you can make him 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TRAINEE. 48 

gentle in this way in a few minutes, where it would 
take you several hours in the ordinary way. 

When he is perfectly indifferent to the pole being 
brought against his quarters and in his flanks, put on 
your Four Ringed bridle and harness (or saddle with 
stirrups tied to hold the reins down), and take the 
side lines off, and with your reins through the stirrups 
on shaft lugs, bring your offline around his quarters 
and stand behind and to the left, so as to have a 
good purchase. Give a hard pull on the off rein 
and be sure to move him. 

When you have given him a few pulls step to the 
other side and repeat. Continue the lesson until he 
will turn either way at the slightest pull, stop and 
caress often. 

Give short lessons of not more than thirty minutes 
at a time; let him rest as long and then go on with 
the training. 

TO STOP AND START BY WORD OF COMMAND. 

This is a very important lesson and should be 
made thorough. 

Get behind him and give the command to start 
tapping him with a whip or line. When he has gone 
a few steps, say ;, whoa" and give a sufficient pull to 
stop him immediately. 

Repeat the treatment until he will start and stop 
readily at word of command. It will not take more 
than two lessons of thirty minutes each to have him 
him perfectly obedient. 

Speak plain and firm, like you mean what you *&y 
when you give the command, and always in about 
the same tone of voice. 

You s hould learn him this lesson so thorough, that 



49 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

you could stop and start him by command while for- 
ty or fifty feet away; for it is a lesson once well learn- 
ed he never forgets . 

Never say "whoa" to your horse unless you want 
him to stop. When you are trotting him along and 
want him to slow up a little say, "steady" "quiet" 
or some certain word and always use the same word 
and he will soon learn the meaning of it. 

A horse don't know the meaning of any word un 
ti} you associate actions with it. 

If you should say "whoa" to a horse when you 
want him to go a little slower, when you want him 
to stop; and while you were passing around him in 
the stable; he would soon become confused, and you 
would teach him by so doing that the word did not 
mean anything. 

You must have but few words with a horse and 
have him understand what each one means. 

Have no one word with two meanings, in the horse 
language. 

It confuses us humans enough, to have such to 
contend with, and unless the horse understands 
grammar a great deal better than the writer does, I 
should not advise any one to undertake to teach him 
that the same word has two meanings. 

TO MAKE A HORSE EASY TO CATCH. 

To do this you must get something he is fond of. 
I fill one of my pockets with shelled oats and take 
the horse in a pen, and say to him, "Here boy," to 
attract his attention, at the same time putting my 
hand in my pocket, get a few and let him eat them 
out of my hand. I repeat this several times using 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB 50 

the same word followed by the same motion of put- 
ting my hand in my pocket; drawing it out and ex- 
tending it towards him. 

I now step off a few feet from him, and speak and 
get some oats out when he will step up to get them. 

I continue this for a few days, everytime I go where 
he is until he will walk up to me promptly from any 
part of the lot when he sees me put my hand in my 
pocket. 

If he is very hard to catch, put one side-line on 
him when you turn him out. When you want to 
catch him, take some oats and when you get near 
get some out of your pocket and reach out to him; 
he will remember the lesson and come up to eat 
them. 

Now do not grab him as much as to say "I got 
you now old fellow," if you do, you won't get him so 
easy next time, but give him some more oats, caress- 
ing him in the mean time; then you can put your 
bridle or rope on him without difficulty. 

In a short time you can turn him loose and he will 
come up to you any where he sees you put your 
hand in your pocket to get the reward. 

Never under any consideration fool him by putting 
your hand in your pocket and reaching out to him 
when you have nothing for him. If he catches you 
in a lie he will lose confidence in you. You can bet- 
ter afford to lie to your neighbors than to your horse, 
for you can apologize to them and fix the matter up, 
but it would take you a long time to apologize to 
your horse as you would have to do it in actions. 
He wouldn't take your word for it. 



51 THE HOBSE TAME B AND TRAINEE. 

If at any time while you are training him he runs 
from you don't run after him, it will only learn him 
your weakness," 

Never whip or jerk a horse for being hard to catch 
after getting hold of him as it will only make him 
the harder to catch next time. He will expect to be 
punished as soon as you get hold of him, but if you 
reward him every time it will have the opposite ef- 
fect. 

TEACHING TRICKS, 

It is a very nice thing to teach a horse a few tricks, 
it makes him appear very wise and always enhances 
his value according to how much and how well you 
have taught him. 

You will take a greater interest in your horse if 
you will spend a few spare moments each day learn- 
ing him something and you will be surprised how 
much you can learn a horse in a short time in this 
way. 

TO DRIVE WITHOUT REINS. 

Take a smooth, straight stick, three feet long, 
about the size of a buggy whip and drive a small nail 
through the small end. Let it come through about 
one third of an inch and sharpen the end. 

Now put a bridle on yonr horse and turn the reins 
over his head and take them in your left hand loosely 
on top of his neck, standing on the left side. 

Take your stick in your right hand and reach 
over and stick him in the right shoulder just back 
of the point. 

If he attempts to start stop him by giving a pull 
on the reins which you hold in your left hand. 



THE HORSE TAMEB AND TRAINER. 52 

Keep sticking him until he turns his head to that 
side about as he would if a fly was biting him there 
Then stop and caress. 

Repeat this and in a few minutes he will turn his 
head as soon as he sees you put the stick over on 
that side. 

When he will do this put your breast against his 
near shoulder and reach over and stick him bearing 
against him with your breast so as to make him 
step to the right; then stop and caress. 

Repeat until he will step around promptly as soon 
as you put the stick to that side. 

Never allow him to stand while you have it there; 
when you want him to stop take it away. Make 
him understand that he must move towards the stick 
as long as you hold it there. If he don't turn at 
once stick him. 

At first you must make him turn more than half 
way around without stopping and caressing. Never 
ask too much of your horse the first lesson. As he 
understands better, then require more of him. 

When he performs well from this side change to 
the other and repeat the lesson until he performs 
equally as well from that side. When he will obey 
promptly from either side buckle your driving rein 
on the offside and let it come up over his back hold- 
ing it in your left hand loosely. 

Commence as before by passing your stick to his 
right shoulder. He will now step around at once 
when you must stop and caress and at each time 
take your position a little farther back, until you can 
stand directly behind him and bring him around to 



£3 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

you. If he should attempt to start off you can lift him 
him to you with the rein which you hold in your left 
hand. Train the same way from the other side until 
you can stand on either side and pass your stick to 
the opposite and bring him around to you. 

Now put on both reins and get behind him with a 
buggy whip in place of your stick. Hold the whip 
over his back with the point resting on top of his with- 
ers. Start him slowly. After he has gone a few steps 
bring your whip over to his right shoulder. If he 
don't, turn at once tap him until he turns to that side. 
Raise your whip over his back again and after he has 
gone a few steps farther, bring your whip to the other 
side, tapping his shoulder until he turns that way. 

Repeat this until he will turn promptly to either 
side while walking along. 

You are now ready to learn him to stop by motion 
of the whip. To do this, get directly behind him 
with your reins in your left and whip in your right 
hand. Start him off in a walk, and after he has gone 
a few steps, raise your whip and tap him on the fore- 
head down between the ears, at the same time giving 
him a pull sufficient to stop him. 

Repeat this until he will stop promptly when you 
raise the whip. 

This will take but a short time, and you are now 
ready to hitch to your cart or buggy. Keep your 
bridle and reins on until he is trained perfectly. 

Get in, and bring your whip to his right shoulder 
and cause him to start that way. Then bring to the 
other shoulder and repeat until he will step to either 
side promptly. Then start off slowly at first, turning 
to the right and left and stopping often. 



THE HOB SE TAME B AND TBA1NEB. 54 

If he don't stop promptly when you raise the whip 
give it a little switch and if that don't do, give him a 
keen cut over the head. 

You will soon get him under good control by prac- 
ticing him a little each day. When you can control 
him well with the whip, take your bridle and reins 
off. Take a rope or strap, pass it under your belly- 
band and tie to his left fore foot, and take it back in 
the buggy as a rein, as he will feel lost for awhile 
with the bridle off. Keep this strap on until you 
have perfect control of him. 

Train so you can trot or lope at full speed and 
turn or stop anywhere. In two weeks you can train 
any intelligent horse to drive perfectly reliable with- 
out reins. 

I have educated them to drive safely in half that 
time; you must make your lessons short when you 
commence, not more than twenty minutes at a time, 
and rest as long or longer between times. 

TO BACK BY MOTION OF THE WHip. 

Put your Four Ringed Bit and single harness on, 
put your reins through the shaft lugs and get direct- 
ly behind him. Take a firm hold of your lines with 
your buggy whip cross-ways in your hands. Now 
give him two or three raking pulls so as to bring him 
back a step or two at each pull. Then step up and 
caress him. 

In pulling him you make a motion back with the 
whip at each pull and he will soon learn to back 
readily. 

When you turn your whip cross-ways and make 
the motion back, use vour reins with considerable 



55 THE HORSE TAMEB AND 7BAINEB. 

force. Make your lessons short and sharp. When 
he backs you can hitch him to your buggy and with 
a little practice he will back equally well there. If 
you have previously trained him to drive well with- 
out reins, you can now do anything with your 
horse that a man can with reins. 

This trick is very easily learned, not requiring 
more than three or four lessons to have a horse 
to perform it well. 

TEACHING THE HOR^E TO LIE DOWN. 

Put on a bridle and tie up his left fore foot with 
a strap. Take a single driving rein or a strap 
about that length and tie around his right front 
ankle and bring it up over his back. Now stand on 
the left side against his shoulder and take a firm 
hold of this strap with your right hand and take a 
short hold of the left bridle with your left hand. 

Now bear hard against his shoulder and pull on the 
strap with your right hand at the same time. This will 
cause him to move and you will bring him to his knees. 
Now draw his head around to you with your left 
hand and bear your weight against his shoulder* 
Don't surge, but keep a steady pressure. He is out 
of balance and will go down in five minutes at most. 

When he falls, pass the strap that you hold in 
your right hand through the bit ring, and step over 
behind his back, when you will be able to hold him 
down as long as you want to by drawing on the 
strap. If he tries to get up caress him and talk 
kindly to him, but don't let him get up until you 
tell him to. When you are ready, step in front 
and say, "Get up sir;" and after a few moments 



THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 56 

you can put him down again the same way. 

When you have given him a few lessons, you 
can put him down easily with the strap to his right 
foot, by taking it up and turning his head to you and 
tapping him on the left knee, saying, "Lie down." 
When he does well this way, don't touch the strap, 
but turn his head to you and tap him on the knee 
and say, "Lie" down.'' You will soon have him s 
he will lie down when you give him the comman 
and make a motion towards his knee, and he will 
finally learn to go down promptly at word of com- 
mand. 

TO LEARN HIM TO SIT UP. 

To do this, tie a stout rope around his neck, back 
against his shoulder. Let it be some looser than 
the collar would be. Now buckle two stout straps 
with rings in each around his hind ankles below 
the fetlocks. Then take a rope about twenty fee 
long and pass one end through your rope collar 
and draw it through until the two ends are equal. 

Now make your horse lie down; then pass each 
of the ends of the rope through each of the reins on 
foot straps, and bring them forward between his front 
legs and pass through the rope collar. 

Draw until you bring his hind feet well up to the 
front, and tie in a bow knot. Stand in front and say 
"Sit up." As he starts to rise tap him lightly under 
the chin with a whip and repeat the command. 

When he makes a spring to get up it will bring 
him in a sitting posture." 

Caress, and feed bits of sugar or a handful of oats 
to hold his attention. When you see it is getting 
tiresome let him up. 



5 7 THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

After repeating the lesson for a few times you can 
hold the rope in your hand in place of tying, and 
hold him easily; and in a weeks time you can make 
him sit up nicely by standing in front and giving the 
command, tapping him lightly under the chin; and 
by a little more practice you can stand off ten or fif- 
teen feet, and make him sit by the word. 

I have a little mare that in three days training 
could step off eight or ten yards and make her per- 
form this trick nicely. 

When you commence a trick learn it to your horse 
well before you commence another; if you try too 
many at a time you will get him confused. 

TO KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY. 

In teaching or learning o.hers how to teach a 
horse this trick, I don't mean any irreverence what- 
ever. 

In fact fact you cau use this trick so it will have a 
good moral effect. Say to your horse "what should 
people do on entering upon any great and important 
undertaking," and at the same time give him the 
signal; when he will kneel down and place his head 
back between his front legs in the attitude of prayer. 

I have a colt, "Blind Tom," that does this trick 
with apparenly as much solemnity as a parson. 

To teach this trick tap your horse on top of the 
head between the ears with the butt of your whip or 
a smooth stick, saying at the same time "pray." This 
will cause him to lower his head a l'ttle, when you 
must stop and caress. Repeat, forcing his head down 
a little farther each time until he will put it down be- 
tween his front legs. Don't let him rise until you 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 58 

tell him to. Hold your whip or stick over his head, 
and if he attempts to raise it tap him. When you 
are ready for him to raise it say, "That will do/' and 
move your whip back towards his hips. You will 
soon have him so that when you raise your whip he 
will lower his head, but don't forget to move your 
whip* back towards his hips when you tell him "That 
will do." 

He will soon understand the signal and will raise 
his head when you make that motion. 

You must now learn him to kneel down. Put on 
him the two ringed surcingle as described under the 
head of lunging; with your strap on the near front 
foot, with a ring on it. Pass your long strap or rope 
through the near ring, on the surcingle from the 
front, then down through ring on foot strap, thence 
up and through the other ring on surcingle and down, 
and tie to the right or off front of foot. 

Bring the other end of rope or scrap between his 
front legs, and stand in front, holding it in your left 
hand. Take your whip in your right hand and tap 
him on the knees with the butt of it, saying at the 
same time "Down," pulling hard on one strap. When 
he raises one foot hold it, and tap the. other 
knee until he raises that foot. This will bring him 
to his knees. He will lunge a little at first, but hold 
hard on your strap and he will soon give it up. 

When you are ready for him to get up move your 
whip back towards his hips and say, 'That w r ill do." 
If he don't get up at once tap him on the back. 

Let him rest a few minutes and put him down 
again. You will soon have him so he will get down 



59 THE IIOBSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 

when you tap him on the knees, and by a little more 
practice, at a slight motion towards them. 

Keep your strap on him until you are certain you 
can hold him down as long as you want to, and don't 
let him get up until you make the motion towards 
his hips. 

Now put him down and say 'Tray/' tapping him 
on top of the head until he brings his nose between 
his front legs. 

Keep your whip raised as long as you want him 
to stay down, and make the motion to .vards his hip 
when you want him to rise. 

By practice you will soon have him so you can 
say, "Get down and pray," pointing your whip down 
at his knees until he gets down, then raising it for 
him to lower his head. 

No one will nDtice your signals as they will be 
watching the horse. 

TO KICK UP. 

To learn a horse this trick, take your stick with a 
sharp nail in it as described under the head of driv- 
ing without reins. Put your bridle on and take a 
short hold of the reins with your left hand to prevent 
him moving forward when you stick him. 

Take your stick in your right hand and say "Kick 
up," at the same time sticking him on the rump, just 
above the root of the tail. When he bobs up a little 
stop and caress. Repeat until he will kick up 
promptly when you give the command, and touch 
his rump with the stick. 

In a few days practice, you will have him so he 
will kick up, when you take your position and make 



THE HOUSE TAMEB AND 1BAINER. 60 

the least motion toward him; then you can substitute 
your whip and tap him on the rump if he is slow 
about obeying your signal. 

You can now ask him, "If you had a mean owner 
what would you do to him?" and at the same time 
give the signal to kick; or you can ask him any 
question you want him to answer by kicking, at the 
same time giving the signal, when he will kick up 
promptly. 

It always pleases people to see this trick. They 
will credit it to the intelligence of the horse rather 
than the training he has received. 

TO PICK UP A HANDKERCHIEF. 

To teach a horse this trick, take a handkerchief 
in your left hand, and a sharpened nail or pin in 
your right. Stand on the near side and hold the 
handkerchief under his nose. Stick him in the 
breast with the nail, saying at the same time, "Pick 
it up," He will lower his head as he would if a fly 
were biting him which will bring his nose agaimt the 
handkerchief, when you must stop and caress. 

Repeat sticking him a little harder until he bites, 
when you must put the handkerchief in his way so 
he will take hold of it, then stop and caress. He will 
soon learn that it relieves him when he takes hold of 
it, then he will do it readily. Now make him take 
hold of it and hold your leit hand under it and hold 
your nail close to his breast. 

Catch it and stick him sharply until he grabs it 
again. Repeat this until he will hold it as long as 
you want him to. When he will do this, lower the 
handkerchief a little at each time, until he will pick 



€1 THE HOUSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 

it up from the ground, and if he drops it at any time 
stick him sharply. He will soon learn to pick it up 
without saying anything to him. 

With a little practice you can learn him to go off 
from ten to fifteen feet and get it, by dropping a little 
farther off at each time. 

To perform this trick nicely, you should first learn 
your horse to come to you, by word of command; so 
when he goes off and picks up the handkerchief you 
can say, "Come here," when he will bring it to you. 

TO TEACH A HORSE TO COME TO YOU. 

Take a quarter inch rope about thirty feet long, tie 
one end around his neck and put the other end 
through the loop that is around his neck from the 
front, drawing it through and putting the loop so 
formed in his mouth. (This is a simple form of war 
bridle or draw hitch, and is a very effectual way to 
learn a stubborn horse to lead.) 

Now start off five or six feet and say, ''Come here," 
at the same time bring him to you with a hard pull, 
when you must caress him, (don't jerk, but pull.) 
You can generally learn a horse to come to you 
promptly in ten or fifteen minutes. 

Practice from both sides until he will come to you 
the full length of the rope by word of command, 
when you can take the rope off and he will perform 
equally weli. Caress him when he comes to you 
and give him a little oats or something he is fond of. 
It helps wonderfully while learning any trick to re- 
ward a horse when he does just right. 

Remember that a pint of oats will go farther to- 
wards learning a horse anything than a five dollar 
whip. 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 62 

Please don't forget to buy a twenty-five cent whip 
and fifty cents worth of oats, and if they both give 
out at the same time, buy more oats and wait awhile 
for another whip. 

TO GO LAME. 

Take your stick with the sharp nail in the end, as 
directed in driving without reins, and as you lead 
your horse along, stick him on the shin every time 
he puts his foot down without limping. You can 
soon have him so he will limp when y ou point your 
stick toward his leg. 

TO PAW. 

To teach a horse this trick, take your stick with 
the sharp nail in the end and stick him on the back 
part of the fore leg a little below the knee. He will 
stamp his foot about as he would to get rid of a fly, 
when you must caress him. 

Repeat, gradually working him up until he will 
paw any number of times you want him to, or as long 
as you point the stick towards his leg. If he stops 
while you have your stick in that position, stick him, 
and when you want him to stop raise your stick. 

You can now ask him how old he is, carelessly 
pointing your whip towards his leg. When he has 
pawed the right number of times, raise it up, when 
he will stop. If you have him well trained you can 
give him small sums in division, multiplication, or 
subtraction, and have him paw the correct answer. 
It makes a horse appear very sagacious. 

TO MAKE A BOW OR SAY YES. 

To do this, take your stick with the nail in the end 
and stand on near side opposite his shoulder. Stick 



63 TEE HOUSE TAME B AND TRAINEE. 

him in the breast until he lowers his head, then stop 
and caress. Repeat until he will bow his head at the 
least motion of your stick towards his breast. 

A horse will learn this very quick. Ask any ques- 
tion now that you want him to answer in the affirma- 
tive and carelessly point your whip towards his 
breast and he will nod his head. 

TO TEACH HIM TO SAY NO. 

Take your stick with sharp nail in end. Stand on 
the near side reach out and stick him on top of the 
neck about where the collar rests. This will cause 
him to shake his head, when you must stop and 
caress. 

Repeat until he will shake his head at the least 
motion of your stick towards his neck. 

You can now ask him any question you want him 
to answer by saying No, carelessly pointing your 
whip towards the top of his neck and he will prompt- 
ly shake his head. 

A horse will learn this trick in three or four lessons 
and perform well. 

TO CARRY THINGS IN HIS MOUTH. 

To teach a horse this, take a light board about a 
foot square and tack a leather strap on one end. 
Sew a piece of leather on the end he is to take hold 
or so he can hold on to it good. The strap should 
stick out about an inch and a half from the board. 

Hold this strap under his mouth and stick him in 
the breast with a pin as in training to pick up a hand- 
kerchief. 

He will soon take hold of the strap readily but wil 



THE HOESE TAMEB AND TRAINEE. 64 

let it go. Now hold your pin ready, and when he 
drops it stick him sharply, and make him take it up 
again; requiring him to hold it a little longer each 
time, until he will hold it as long as you want him to. 
When he will do this start off with him, holding 
your pin ready so you can stiek him and make him 
take it again. Ke will soon carry it as far as you 
want him to. 

You can easily have him to carry your whip, hat, 
bridle or anything you want. 

I have trained a three-year-old mare so I can hitch 
her to a buggy and drive her anywhere without reins, 
carying anything in her mouth that I give her. 

It takes considerable patience to teach a horse to 
perform this trick well. Don't require him to do too 
much at a time . 

TO LEARN HIM TO FOLLOW. 

Put the common draw-hitch war bridle on him as 
descsibed under the head of "Teaching to come to 
you." Take the cord in your left hand and a switch 
or riding whip in your right. Stand on near side and 
tap him on the side of the neck with your whip lifting 
him to you with the cord at the same time. Stop and 
caress, and repeat this until he will step to you 
promptly when you tap him on the side of the neck 

Now start off with him, tapping him on the back 
to make him keep well up by the side of you. 

When you have gone a little ways, step off to the 
left, tapping him on the neck and lifting him to you 
with the cord. 

After you train him this way a few times he will 



65 THEIHORSE TAMEB AND 7BAINEB. 

turn with you readily, when you can take off your 
rope and make him follow anywhere. 

You can learn a horse this in thirty minutes and 
he will never forget it. 

TEACHING TO LEAD. 

Some horses lead up well while others drag along. 
You can teach the latter to lead in a run by a few 
minutes training. 

Put the draw-hitch war bridle on him. Stand to 
one side and lift him until he will come at the least 
pull. 

Train from both sides in this way gradually work- 
ing around to the front, Now start off slow at first 
getting a little faster and if he allows you to tighten 
the rope lift him to you with all your strength. 

In twenty to thirty minutes you can make the 
most stubborn horse follow you in a run. 




THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER. 66 

The Arab's Farewell to His Horse. 

[The Arabs have the finest horses in the world, and they 
are very fond of them. It is related that the French Consul 
at Alexandria , once gave a poor Arab a purse of gold for a 
fine horse, with the aesign of sending the animal to the King 
of France. 

The Arab took the money, but, after having in vain en- 
deavored to tear himself away from his horse, flung the purse 
upon the ground, sprung upon his horse's back, and was 
quickly out of sight. The following beautiful lines were writ- 
ten upon this touching incident.] 

I 
My beautiful, my beautiful! thatstandest meekly by, 
With thy proudly arched and glossy neck, and dark and fiery 

eye! 
Fret not to roam the desert now with all thy winged speed; 
I may not mount on thee again! — thou'rt sold, my Arab steed 

II 
Fret not with that impatient hoof, snuff not the breezy wind, 
The farther that thou fleest now, so far am I behind ; 
The stranger hath thy bridle rein, thy master hath his gold) 
Fleet-limbed and beautiful, farewell ! — Thou'rt sold, my steed, 
thou'rt sold! 

Ill 
Farewell! Those free, untired limbs full many a mile must 

roam, 
To reach the chill and wintry clime that clouds the stran- 
ger's home; 
Some other hand, less kind, must now thy corn and bed pre- 
pare; 
That silky mane I braided once must be another's care. 

IV 
Only in sleep shall I behold that dark eye glancing bright — 
Only in sleep shall hear again that step so firm and light; 
And when I raise my dreaming arms to check or cheer thy 

speed, 
Then must I startling wake, to feel thou'rt sold my Arab steed! 

V 
Ah! rudely then, unseen by me, some cruel hand may chide, 
Till foam- wreaths lie, like crested waves, along thy panting 

side, 
And the rich blood that's in thee swells,in thy indignant pain, 
Till careless eyes that on thee gaze may count each starting 
vein! 



67 THE HORSE TAMEB AND TRAINEE. 

VI 

Will they ill use thee?— if I thought— but no, it cannot be; 
Thou art so swift, yet easy curbed, so gentle, yet so free; 
And yet if haply, when thou'rt gone, this lonely heart should 

yearn, 
Can the hand that casts thee from it, now command thee to 

return ? 

VII 

Return! — alas ! my Arab steed ! what will thy master do, 
When thou, that wast his all of joy, hast vanished from his 

view ? 
When the dim distance greets mine eyes, and through the 

gathering tears, 
Thy bright form for a moment,like the false mirage, appears? 

VIII 

Slow and unmounted will I roam, with wearied foot, alone, 
Where with fleet step and joyous bound, thou oft has borne 

me on; 
And sitting down by the green well, I'll pause, and sadly 

think. 
'Twas here he bowed his glossy neck when last I saw the 6 

drink. 

IX 

When last I saw thee drink! Aw r ay! the fevered dream is o'er! 
I could not live a day, and know that we should meet no 

more ; 
They tempted me, my beautiful! for hunger's power is strong 
They tempted me, my beautiful ! but I have loved too long. 



Who said that I had given thee up ? Who said that thou wert 

h sold? 

'tis false, my Arab steed! I fling them back their 
Tis false* . 

S°l«f ^oon thy back, and scour the distant plains! 

Thus— thus I leap u^ ~ noWj mav c i a i m thee for his pains. 
Away! who o'ertakes u* 



THE HOBSE TAMEB AND TBAINEB. 68 

VALUABLE RECEIPTS. 

I have tried most of the following receipts and 
know them to be reliable, and have obtained the' 
others from reliable sources. 

SURE CURE FOR FISTULA. 

I oz Corrosive Sublimate, 

I " Camphor gum. 

i " Alcohol. 

I " Spirits of turpentine. 

Mix together and shake well. 

It is best to throw the horse and tie him down as 
it is very severe, and it will be hard to treat him 
right while standing on his feet. 

When you have him down apply the medicine to the 
swollen parts, being careful not to put on too much, 
as it will run down his shoulder and blister. Have 
a red hot iron and hold it close enough to make it 
smoke a little so as to bake it in good . 

Make two applications in succession the first time 
you have him down, In two days treat again, mak- 
ing only one application at a time after the first. In 
two days treat again, and after that keep the parts 
greased with lard. 

In the worst cases it hardly ever takes more than 
three applications to affect a cure. It will take him 
from three to four weeks to get well, during which 
time he should not be used. 

NO. 2, ANOTHER GOOD REMEDY. 

When the disease first starts and before it breaks 
get two ounces of oil of cedar, and apply to the 
swollen parts. Put a woolen rag over it and take a 



69 THE HORSE TAMEE AND TRAINEE. 

hot smooth iron and rub over it, have the iron as 
hot as the horse will bear it. 

Treat every other day for a week. I have never 
failed to put it back by this treatment if I got the 
animal in time, that is, before it came to a head. 

NO. 3. ANOTHER REMEDY. 

After it comes to a head, open, and take a five 
grain capsule of arsenic, and push it down the tube, 
and put a piece of cotton down on top of it to keep 
it from coming out. 

In a few days the diseased parts will separate from 
tha sound flesh, and you can cut the former out and 
continue treating as you would for an ordinary 
wound. 

POLL EVIL. 

This is precisely the same disease as fistula, only lo- 
cated in a different place. The treatment is the 
same as for fistula. 

A CURE FOR COLIC- 

2 oz Sweet Spirits of Nitre. 

40 drops Oil Caraway. 

Mix with one pint of water. 
This will cure the worst case of colic in from 
twenty to forty minutes. 

FOR CUTS AND SORES. 

4 oz Lard. 

4 " Beeswax. 

2 " Rosin. 

y 2 a Carbolic Acid. 

Melt the first three together, then add the carbolic 
acid. 

FOR SCRATCHES. 

4 oz Balsam Fir. 

4 oz , Lard. 

Wash well with soap, and apply once a day. 



THE HORSE TAMER AND TRAINER 70 

SWEENEY. 

Examine the leg and foot well, as the shrinking of 
the shoulder is in most cases the effect and not the 
cause of lameness. 

In such a case anything you could do to the 
shoulder would be of no benefit 

If you find nothing wrong with his foot or leg ap- 
ply the following to his shoulder. 

I pint Soft Soap. * 

I " Water. 

i u Spirits Turpentine. 

i " Alcohol. 

6 oz Salt 

Mix and apply once a day, rubbing hard. 

TO CURE MANGE. 

I oz Oil of Tar. 

1 y 2 oz Lac Sulphur. 

2 oz Whale Oil. 

Mix and rub on the skin whenever the disease ap- 
pears and continue daily for a week. Then wash off 
with warm water and castile soap . 

FOR FRESH WOUNDS. 

To prevent inflamation or mortification take: 

1 lb ... . Saltpetre. 

2 gal Water. 

3 pints , . . Proof Spirits. 

Mix and inject into the wound with a syringe three 

times a day until healed. 

TO GROW HAIR. 

I pint Sweet Oil. 

3 oz Sulphur. 

Mix and shake well, rub in the mane or tail twice 
a week this will bring out a fine healthy growth of 
hair. 



71 THE HOUSE TAMEB AND TRAINEE, 

TO REMOVE ENLARGEMENTS. 

1 oz Oil Spike. 

i " Camphor. 

2 " Oil Origanum. 

i " Amber. 

2 " Spir. Turpentine. 

Rub the mixture on thoroughly three times a week. 

FOR HEAVES. 

Give table spoon of Oil of Tar every night. This 
is also good for coughs and colds. 




•felHDEX* 



Preface. 

Kickers in Single Harness. 

Ready for Business. 

Poling. 

Another Way. 

Another Method. 

Kickers in Double Harness. 

Another Way. 

To Break Single Balkers. 

To Break Double Balkers. 

To Break a Wild Horse to Ride 

Won't Stand While Getting In. 

To Break a Runawav Horse. 

To Break Bolters. 

To Break Lungers. 

Hard to Shoe. 

Hard to Shoe Behind. 

Hard to Bridle. 

Another Way. 

Hard to Harness 

Another Way. 

Afraid of Umbrella, Robe, etc. 

Afraid of Top Buggy. 

Halter and Bridle Pullers. 

Handling and Hitching up the 

Colt. * 
To Stop and Start by Word of 

Command. 
To Make a Horse Easy to 

Catch. 
Teaching Tricks. 
To Drive Without Reins. 



To Back by Motion of the 

Whip. 
Teaching the Horse to Lie 

Down. 
To Learn Him to Sit Up. 
To Kneel Down and Pray. 
To Kick Up. 

To Pick Up a Handkerchief. 
To Teach a Horse to Come to 

You. 
To Go Lame. 
To Paw. 

I To Make a Bow or Say Yes. 
To Teach Him to Say No. 
To Carry Things in His Mouth. 
To Learn Him to Follow. 
Teach to Lead. 
The Arab's Farewell to His 

Horse. 
Valuable Receipts. 
Sure Cure for Fistula. 
Poll Evil. 
A Cure for Colic. 
For Cuts and Sores. 
For Scratches. 
Sweeny. 

To Cure Mange. 
For Fresh Wounds. 
To Grow Hair. 
To Remove Enlargements. 
For Heaves. 



